Awwwww, Hell No! Will Smith rumored for CAPTAIN AMERICA!?!?

Hey folks, Harry here... Does anyone here want to see Will Smith play Captain America? I like Will Smith - but I hate stunt casting. Ugh. I just don't have the energy to address this rumor - but let's hope that is all that it is...

Cap was my favorite hero growing up. I have been waiting for this movie since, well, forever. Smith is a cool actor, I really dig his work, but give me a fuckin' break. I can't begin to express how disappointed I will be if this turns out to be true. I highly doubt it. But still.

He played Kingpin well. Even if Daredevil sucked, MCD was great. Jessica Alba as Invisible Girl? No. There are plenty of more experienced, more talented, white, blonde actresses in Hollywood. I'm not racist. I just think that in FF2 it was kind of insulting to see how they dyed her hair as light as possible, gave her the bluer eyes than any human being should have, and probably CGI'd her as caucasian. Will Smith is a great actor and I can see him as Capt. America. But he is so NOT my first choice and he certainly isn't the only talented man in Hollywood. Casting comic book characters shouldn't be based on ethnicity...but if you can cast someone who both resembles the character in question AND is a competent actor, why the fuck not get that guy?

Freaking comics purists. Stories retain their vitality through reinvention and retellings, not through maintaining the perfect integrity of their original incarnation. I think a black Captain America would be pretty cool - I'd love to see some exploration of racial themes, like how can a black man be so devoted to his country as Captain America is? But...all you comics geeks would revolt so it ain't happening.

Val Kilmer or Brad Pitt come to mind. You can't cast someone that doesn't fit the Steve Rogers mold. Yes, he has always been drawn as a white dude. Blond hair. Blue eyes. Cap is iconic, you can't change the character like that.

C'mon, people, please get serious. Marvel wouldn't dare piss off core fans with casting like this and Smith wouldn't want to draw attention to him being cast in what is considered a white role. He admitted so after doing it with Wild,Wild West and after supposedly being offered Superman.

And if you think about it, it could work. <br><br> Smith's definately not my first choice, but I'm open to the idea. <br><br> Although I'd much rather see Dwayne Johnson casted as Superman if we were gonna get a iconic character getting a ethnic makeover.

Is it because he's black? What is so "stunt casting" about this? The guy is a great actor, a guaranteed box office success, and could bring the depth to a relatively (at least in the modern years) forgotten about character.

Or stop frakking with race and gender in beloved fictional characters. Okay, so it worked with Boomer and Starbuck, but you get the drift. And if you don't, well, stick your head back in the mud. This doesn't concern you.

Of course, it would change the character somewhat. Captain America is someone who wakes up years later believing that the ideals he fought for in WWII have be abandoned. I think a black Captain American would probably understand that many of those ideals didn't exist in the 1940's either.

I don't know if that was directed partially at me or not, but if you read my post you can tell that I'm absolutely not a purist. Also, filmmakers aren't going to drop a big name from the cast just because >1% of the population hates it. Will Smith is an interesting choice...but it's totally unnecessary. Aryan features aren't essential in casting Capt America to me, but why him? I'm just questioning the *possibility* of this. I mean this is just a rumor anyway. From fucking MTV.

Come on guys, this is complete and utter bullshit just like Cher as Catwoman. This rumor is originating from an MTV interview with Derek Luke who says he "heard they offered the part to Will Smith". Sites like AICN reporting this without telling you the flimsy origin are just going to add fuel to the fire. This isn't Fox or some studio embarrassed by the property who thinks they need a big name to draw people in. Marvel Studios has shown so far that they are committed to being true to the source material and pleasing the fans. I think they've earned some benefit of the doubt when crazy ass rumors like this surface.

Maybe he was offered the role of Isiah Bradley, from Kyle Baker's Truth mini series, where black soldiers were being treated like test subject in the 40's for the super soldier serum. In that case it would be pretty cool.

He was on the front lines and publicly known about in WWII. It may be sad, but there is no way the Military or it's propaganda machine would have made a star of a black man at that time. Maybe if they gave him a mask that hid all his features, or if the movie were a comedy like Blazing Saddles. But otherwise, please be real. <p><p> Will Smith could portray the "original" Captain America whose story was told in Truth as the successful black test subject.

US Army in 1940s would probably be more willing to use black soldiers as guinea pigs. And Cap, while being accepted as a symbol for America, would find that acceptance lacking for him, as a man, back home. Plus, how much more would it piss off the Red Skull to be bested by a black man?

yeah yeah yeah, they did it with Daredevil but it was still stupid. These are characters people know and see exactly what they look like, changing their races is beyond retarded. If it was simple some character in a book where ethnicity is never mentioned than ok but its a comic book and he's always been drawn as a white man so you cast a white man. they'd never do that to the big ones, why do it to him?

Read the "Truth" mini people, there was another Captain America (actually, don't read it, it wasn't that great. Just look it up). I'd be down for it if he played Isaiah, since he was the precursor to Steve Rogers. The problem with a Black Cap as the Captain America that was a hero of WW2 is that black soldiers weren't so celebrated back then. In "Truth" the Black Super Soldier experiments were kept under wraps.
And NiceGuyEddie, let's not bring black Nick Fury into this. There is a black Fury in the Ultimate Universe, so it's not like that was just out of nowhere casting.

And I'm sure he can play Captain America as he always shows dedication physically with Action Roles. But I don't really want him as Captain America. Now if the alternative is someone stupid, or some gay overrated kid from a CW show or "Friday Night Lights", then I'd rather see Smith. But I think that a guy that can pull it off based on his physique and looks is Eddie Cibrian from Invasion.

Can you see McConaughey delivering the dialogue? "All right, all right, all right. Super Soldier formula makes me feel tribal, man. Hey, Red Skull, you ought to ditch the Nazi's you're hanging with, go the American way. But that's all right, we'll worry about that later. You just gotta keep livin' man, L-I-V-I-N."

Maybe work in some of the Red, White and Black storyline... he was (unwittingly) the first super-soldier... It sure would make the pic seem a lot less jingoistic. Maybe have two Caps - one Steve Rogers, the other Isaiah Bradly... and Rogers gets all the credit. Address the race issue. Something like that.

Lets go the whole hog. Captain America should be played by Halle Berry.
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In fact if they wanted to go for real Stunt Casting they should get Eddie Murphy. He could also play The Green Lantern, Braniac, Superman, Hulk, etc all in individual movies and have the mother of all cross over movies later on.
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As shit as this sounds, it can't be any worse than Meet Dave

...why couldn't Will Smith play Steve Rogers? Granted, his most recent performances don't really suggest he's interested in imbuing any role with the kind of gravitas that Cap requires, but go back and look at some of his less laugh-a-riffic roles, and you'll see that Smith is at the very least capable of playing a more subdued, restrained lead. If the Will Smith of "Six Degrees of Separation" is the Will Smith of "Captain America", it might be a bold, invigorating choice. If it's the Will Smith of "I, Robot", however, then yeah, we're screwed.

In it's core, the character supposed to lead a happy all American life in the 40's, when he didn't see the dark side of American life, the only evil he saw was oversees: the war. This mindset just doesn't fit for a black man from the 40's. Except if they change the origin from WW2, which would fuck the whole thing up - I think Cap has the best origin ever, and I'm a European. And even if there wasn't a problem, Smith fucks up every movie he's in. he's a good actor but a huge sellout, and every adaptation he's in is distorted to suit his persona. I robot, I am legend, Wild Wild West even Men In Black.

It's only because of politically correct dickhats like you that anyone has to make sure they say "I'm not racist" before voicing their opinion that maybe casting a 40 year old black dude as a 20 year old blonde-haired, blue-eyed World War II U.S.A. propoganda poster boy isn't the best way to do the character justice.

I am black & a longtime Cap fan. I hate the Aryan, blonde, blue-eyed hero archetype. Cap has always been, in my mind, the singular exception to that rule. Will Smith portraying Cap would be like putting a mustache on Batman.

...Isn't he a little too old to be playing someone who was supposed to be a soldier on the front line of WWII? As I recall, Cap COULDN'T get into the army when he applied because of his health, which means that he had to be of drafting age. I am not too sure drafting age for the front lines would have included a man in his mid-forties.

At first i was completely against the idea, but he more i think about it, it could actually work... wait, sorry, changed my mind again, shit idea. I just had a flash of the captain america suit on him and it just doesnt seem right for Cap to be black. It's like getting Vince Vaughn to play Shaft. Its just not cricket. Still a big Will Smith fan though.

Someone up there wrote "US Army in 1940s would probably be more willing to use black soldiers as guinea pigs". I think that's the real problem with casting Smith or any African American in the role. You're adding an element of racism to the equation that shouldn't be inherent in the character.

No fucking way, no fucking way, no fucking way, no fucking way, no fucking way, no fucking way...hell no, fuck no, shit no.
If they do this, then FUCK MARVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's actually a good idea to take the "T:RWB" story and weave it into the Steve Rogers story.
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Today's US is much different compared to the US during the time of Cap's conception. I personally think it'd make for better storytelling to include the negatives of life in the US during that time period.
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If anything, it'd show that the US is <b>not</b> perfect, and that we have a long, long way to go to achieve that.
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Plus, Will Smith is fucking money in the bank on July 4th. Having a great Will Smith-starring "Captain America" flick on July 4th 2010 is a recipe for success.

And pre-experiment Steve Rogers should be played by somebody we've never seen before. The best way to play into his origin as a below average nobody who transforms into the perfect specimen. After his transformation, Captain America should be played by a different actor. And we need to face the fact that everyone's favorite stars for the role are just too old now, whether you're talking about Brad Pitt, Aaron Eckhart or even Matt Damon. An unknown with the talent to go with the look will carry this story in the most effective way.

I grew up with the original Nick Fury, the cigar chomping WWII vet. So, I was obviously thrown when they changed him, but you know I like Sam Jackson and I thought he was a perfect choice for Nick Fury. Will Smith...I like him...but I think that Cap would end up a joke.

Regardless of the word "racist" being thrown around and bantied about by some, objecting to Will Smith in this role (which I believe will never happen) does not make one a racist. It makes one, most likely, a purist. Captain America is white, has been for nearly 70 years. The characters history is that of a skinny white man becoming a champion for his country. Thats it. 99.9 percent of anyone who objects is objecting based on this idea.
I can tell you this, if actually cast, he will most likely be playing Isiah Bradley, the black test subject that came before the white Steve Rogers. If he is actually cast as Capt. America it will be to draw as much attention to the film as possible, setting it up for what they believe will be big box office bank. They will be wrong, as backlash will sink the ship. In this day and age a stunt like this is really poorly thought out, again, if it is anywhere near true, and I don't believe for one second that it is.
That would be like currently casting Brad Pitt for the role of Othello when you have dozens of more than qualified black actors to play the role.
Or like casting Leonardo DiCaprio to play Anne Frank in a film.
Its BS. Don't believe the hype.

@ CatVutt: Um... There WAS racism back then, you know. Legal, even.
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You can't gloss over it or sugar coat it. And if anything, seeing a Black American step up and defend his country (The very country that oppresses HIM) against one that would not only oppress him, but exterminate him if possible? THAT is a story of TRUE PATRIOTISM.
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And THAT is the type of story you wanna have behind Captain America.

The sad reality is that, during WWII, black soldiers were organized into separate units due to the overt racist attitudes and ideas that permeated American culture in the 40's. That the top-secret super-soldier experiment would have been conducted on a black man would make no sense and would clash with what is known historically. Will Smith for Black Panther or maybe Green Lantern but not a chance for Captain America.

"THAT'S RIGHT! Thats what you get! Look at you, ship all banged up! WHO'S THE MAN? HUH? WHO'S THE MAN? Wait until I get another plane! I am going to lower your friends RIGHT BESIDE YOU!"
With dialog like that, how the hell would this movie not be the shit?

...before some moron comes in and claims that merely discussing the possibility that Will Smith can't play the role is racist.<br><br>It's been said best above...Will Smith as Captain America is like Batman having a mustache.<br><br>It's certainly stunt casting due to the initial shock of the casting...DERP! <br><br>I can't even deal with you mouthbreathers today...

I mean, other than that he doesn't have the same skin color as the fictitious Steve Rogers... I can't think of a better actor for cap. Who cares if he's black... i mean, unless one believes there was some literary significance to Steve Rogers being drawn as an aryan poster boy... why isn't Will Smith dream casting for this?

Will Smith is not "Steve Rogers" and never will be. For the record I had no problem with casting Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and I had no problem with Michael Duncan Clark being cast as Kingpin. Both of those actors might have been a different race than the character in the comics but both of them also were able to completely convey the character they were playing. Will Smith is never going to be Steve Rogers in a million years. They might as well cast John Goodman as Black Panther. That's about how close Will Smith is to being Captain America.

OK...it has to be drastic to get me to post, and this is drastic. W.S. is alright but to fill Cap's shoes? WTF?!? Why do things have to be so F'ing PC?!? I am about diversity but sheesh, you do not mess with a classic. Why Will Smith? Why not Chow yung Phat?...c'mon

@mrwhite - "...objecting to Will Smith in this role (which I believe will never happen) does not make one a racist. It makes one, most likely, a purist. Captain America is white, has been for nearly 70 years."
But unless you explain why it's significant that he's white in comic books... then you are a racist as youre objecting to the actor because he's the wrong race.

If the spirit of the character is still intact, who gives a fuck what color the character is? Keep in mind, it's not the first time Will has played a character who was originally white? Jim West anyone?

you don't have to completely re-write the history of the character in order to cast against the character in the comic books. <P> For Cap, you would not only have to re-write the comic book character, but also re-write American history (unless there was a civil rights movement in the 30's and the government covered it up)

There are more black people than white people in the u.s. military. Smith would be a great Captain America. And Marvel themselves made the Nick Fury an african-american for their ultimate line of comics. Why not change color of skin for a movie? Will Smith might be the only way to sell a movie entitled CAPTAIN AMERICA outside the U.S. anyway.

There was a lot of racism during WWII when Captain America was injected with the super soldier serum. A black Captain America won't fly if it takes place then. Now if they wanted to update the character and make this all occur in modern times then you could do a black Captain American but Will Smith wouldn't work. He'd be Will Smith like he is in every movie and not Captain America.

Captain America is WW2 propaganda came to life in modern times. He's a legend - more recruitment tool than hero. The face of world war 2. The dream of the nazis, fighting on the side of the angels, proving their cause wrong. If we say a black man could be all that in the 40's, if we say America would've welcomed Cap with open arms if he was black, you turn your back on the rampant racism in first part of the century. Even if they somehow shoehorn a black Steve Rogers into the story, then the character comes from a completely different place. Then he'll be a man who saw the dark side of the American dream, instead of a naive, idealist, looser white boy who got a chance to become a hero, and is later conflicted by the true nature of the country he serves. "Being black" would have to completely change his personality.

going on in the OTHER talkbacks that Harry has to introduce this piece of speculative nonsense to make sure the ideological fires stay lit.
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My god, it seems like National Review Online spends more time talking about Star Trek, Lost, etc. than this place does sometimes.

I'm a black man and a huge Marvel Comics fan and I love the idea of Wil Smith as the "Original" Isaiah Bradely Cap. It's in continuity and I was so proud of Marvel for doing the Truth storyline. Now if they want to mess with continuity and say that Isaiah was frozen for the Avengers movies what ever, the movies are the movies.
Now I do think it would make an interesting concept to make a movie that says that the whole "White" Cap Mythos was an elaborate Propoganda scheme and the only Cap ever was always black. Either way the Race Issue that was highly prevelant in WWII makes the film step out of the 2 dimensional Comic realm and break onto a new interesting Dark Knight esque level.

Then why not? Will Smith ALWAYS delivers. Personally I always wanted to see Neal McDonough in the Cap role, but Brad Pitt would probably be GREAT. I don't think Matthew McConnaghey could pull it off (that southern drawl kills it for me) Eckhart could probably do it ... but he's a little FLAT.

Oh wait a minute..............On second thought stirke that! :(
But think of the cool soundtrack Willie will make for the movie!
Bottom line is don't mess with pop culture icons that people are willing to pay to see. That's why people make movies based on Icons that people hold dear to make money off that memory! So give the imagery that people want!

<P>Yeah, how 'bout that? Matt Damon as T'Challa, how 'bout that? OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Doesn't f*&kin' SOUND TOO RIGHT, DOES IT?!!? Hold on, I got another one -- how 'bout Antonio Bandaras as Power Man (Luke Cage) -- OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Doesn't SOUND TOO RIGHT, DOES IT!!!????</P>
<p>Keep the characters who they are, for Pete's sake!!!! I mean, if Richard Gere was to portray W.E.B. DuBois, THERE'D A PROBLEM, RIGHT????</P>
<P>F*&k Smith in this role. What? He gotta be in EVERY movie?</p>

Then again, we get stupid ideas all the time so there may be people like him in those high seats. Well I'm just glad TSquared felt the need to let us know he'a a black man as that changes everything. Since this is a race issue, it somehow, inexplicably, makes his opinion much more valid!

In a cheesy way.
Isaiah is the first "Cap" but doesn't see the point in fighting after Steve gets the serum. He becomes sort of a recluse. Cap gets frozen, gets de-thawed, a worldwide threat comes around in two different places. Steve finds Isaiah and they team up to take down the threat.
Cheezy, I know, but it would work for most of the movie-going crowd.

Casting a black person as Captain America would completely change the character. Will Smith could cameo as Isaiah Bradley, but that is all. Otherwise you have to completely change Cap's origin story. And while I am a bit tired of superhero films where the origin takes up most of the running time, I am sure at least some of Cap's origin will be told in the first film, even if only in flashbacks. In short, there is no way Cap can be black without completely changing the character.

...he plays a Captain America 2. As in the original Cap from WWII died in battle, and the U.S. gov't revives the Super Soldier project using a black guy, Let's face it, Will Smith has become one of our biggest box office stars and nearly an American icon, nearly as American as Mickey Mouse and apple pie. He's also a proven serious dramatic actor. I could see it. Definitely. Remember, Steve Rogers, the white Captain America, is dead. He died in WWII, and was assasinated recently. Captain America is dead. We live in a new era now. A black man may be our next president. If Captain America is to be reborn, I vote that he be reborn as a black American, and who better than WIll SMith?

WTF this actor Derek Luke thinks that casting for Capt. America is a civil rights issue?? Ok so Nick Fury was white in the comics but Sam Jackson has the attitude for playing Fury, plus I think there is more flexibility with Fury because he's not as big a character as CA. Smith I am of sick of in action movies, even though he's a good dramatic actor. The race issue would make an interesting WW2 story but I'm really more interested in seeing the original material portrayed. Why don't we have a white guy play Shaft in another remake?

The character is a blank slate, especially now that he's dead. What was most important about the character was the red,white, and blue, and his basic American ideals. <p>
Only fanboys know who Capt. America is anyway. Hell, Iron Man is more generally known than Cap is. But everybody knows who Will SMith is. Want to put Cap in the spotlight, put Will Smith in the red, white, and blue...

according to his origin, he's gotta be in his early twenties - tops. (Since he has to be a young recruit, it's not as fluid as other hero ages). In that case some young guy with gravitas, like Jensen Ackles could work. but can you see someone like that order around Robert Downey Jr. in later films? In people's mind Cap is at least in hid 30's. How the fuck will they do this?

you dishonor what black people have fought for. it is like saying the civil rights movement never happened. in WW2 a black soldier was not the face of the U.S. military, he was an unsung hero. it would be like setting a period piece film in the 1800's Georgia and showing no racism at all. it is pretending it didnt happen that would be racist.... it is not racist to say a black man cant be Cap.

That's how I see it. In the Marvel Universe, Captain America is bigger than life. If Marvel wants Cap to be bigger than life in the movies, than he should be played by a bigger than life star. Will Smith fits the bill.<p>
Barack Obama. Will Smith. Captain America. I'm liking the idea more and more...

Will Smith is an annoying piece of shit. You Fresh Prince apologists need to face the music and realize that he's a movie star not an actor. He's not in this for the art, he's in it for the paycheck and the clout to be able to play "hide the salami" with butt buddies like Tom Cruise and David Beckham. I hope to god this loser isn't Captain America. Frankly, I'm not too worried because this smells like bullshit to me. So Derek Luke heard this and nobody else? Frankly, I doubt that Jon Favreau, RDJ, or anyone else involved with the Marvel movies would go for this kind of horseshit. Seriously, this was the most vile thing I've heard all day.

dye his hair blond, blue contacts. he is an extraordinary actor, has a great build, can play multiple roles at the same time. he goes from downright creepy at times to loveable, to funny to heroic... he probably has the best range of any actor on television. this would be a breakout role for him.

Go fuck yourself. We're talking about Will "hell nawwww" Smith here. It's not like Don Cheadle is rumored to step into the roles. But while we're on the topic of who should be Captain America... Josh Brolin anyone? I can see him playing off RDJ and Ed Norton very well.

Nevermind the fact that we're pissed because they are changing the race of an established character. You do realize if they did the same thing to Blade or Shaft there would be the EXACT same quantity and type of ire? I guess race-whining morons like yourself sit and just wait to call white people racist. Moron.

and i knocked the dude out of the tournament in like 5 minutes. later, i saw him in the parking lot offering blow jobs for acting jobs. (true story except for seeing him the parking lot). he was with some big white dudes who looked like loan sharks. this dude is obviously trying to create publicity for a dead career to feed a terrible gambling addiction.

...then there can't be a Captain America movie because Steve Rogers is DEAD! Falcon, yeah, right. Cap's flying Uncle Tom would go real well with modern 21st century audiences. Maybe Falcon could hold Cap's shield when he takes a dump?

You're cross-pollinating there, chum. The Tuskegee airmen were an experiment, but a political experiment to place black men in combat situations. Before the airmen, blacks in the Air Corps flew in support positions only, just as blacks in the Army almost all worked in supply, transport and other noncombat situations. The Tuskegee EXPERIMENT involved withholding treatment from black men suffering from syphilis in order for doctors to study the progression of the disease. The story told in the "Truth: Red, White and Black" miniseries had a little in common with the Tuskegee Experiment but nothing in common with the Tuskegee Airmen. The relative success of the Airmen led to President Truman's integration of the US armed forces.
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That out of the way, I believe Smith or any non-caucasian actor is a poor choice because it throws away what little history remains in the Captain America story. Cap is a white man because only a white man would have been considered as the symbol of America. The idea of throwing race into Hitler's face wouldn't have occurred to the scientists, government types and military brass in 1940. For one thing, most of them would have considered blacks inferior - up to and including President Roosevelt. It's simply lacking in logic. If Cap is black, Hitler could be Polynesian - the son of an Austrian preacher who moved to the islands and fell in love with a native girl! Yeah! Max von Sydow as Hitler's dad and some youngish type as mom! (There's a joke there if you know your films. Not much of a joke, but a joke.)
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If Captain America is black, the Joker may as well wear makeup. Yeah, I thought that was a disaster, too, no matter how good Ledger was.

..can easily be circumvented by saying that while the super soldier formula was what kept his body alive, he still aged a bit over 70 years. He starts out in 44 as a 20 year old GI & wakes up looking 35-40. We're not talking about "magic arctic ice" here.

Jesus christ, I'm not racist but can Hollywood stop changing characetr races just so they can cast a "name" in the role?!? Sorry, but Captain America has ALWAYS BEEN white! Do you realize the shitstorm and uproar that would have been laid down by the black community if Damon or Affleck were being rumored to play Shaft or Malcolm X?? Spike Lee would have had a stroke on-camera just from his own bullshit piousness. Hey, here's an idea: fucking Thomas Jane as Cap.

You're right, it isn't an argument; it's you being a race-baiting, paranoid buffoon. And you know you would be here shouting to the top of your lungs if they changed the race of Black Panther or Rerun.

I think it's interesting how some have to preface their distaste with a certain casting choice with a similar remark. I like Obama too but somehow not wanting him to neccesarily be president puts me in a 'possible racist' category with some of my black brothers and sisters. AAWWWW HHHEEELLLL NAAAWWWWW

I like Will Smith, I really do, and he's really good when cast in the most unlikely of roles, but when you're talking about casting him as Captain America, who has been a white guy for his ENTIRE history...well...there's nothing TO call that but stunt casting. I mean, it was okay when he did Jim West in 'Wild, Wild West,' because that series died decades earlier and nobody really expected new actors to pull off the same sort of chemistry and style as the 1960s series, but Captain America is still an active member of the Marvel universe. I think this is a dumb rumor and has no basis in fact. I doubt Will Smith would go for it anyway. Although, I'm in the minority in thinking that "Hancock" wasn't actually all that bad, so maybe it's just a matter of taste. Smith can pull off doing a superhero movie, but I don't think that hero is Captain America. Sorry, Will.

With the exception of the usual couple of ignorant racists that post on AICN, this, IMHO had to be the funniest post since we were coming up with new "Rambo 5" titles! And if don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at this link: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35972

...sounds a lot like the same argument I hear from spinsters like Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly. You wouldn't be a conservative evangelical would you? Sure folks might be up in arms over making Black Panther a white guy because he's one of like only three other black superheroes who matter...

busts the Klansmen for lighting a cross in someone's yard and they defend their action by saying "No, officer. This isn't a cross. It's a T...for tolerance!" Then the klansman tries to hug the sheriff? Yeah, it was funny and we all learned a valuable lesson. So this Will Smith movie will be a satire, then. Yes, like Hancock but with its heart in the right place.

A black Captain America could work, but not as Steve Rogers. Consider Sam Jackson as Nick Fury: why does this work? Because Cap & (to a lesser extent) Nick Fury are cross-generational mantles to be passed on. Both are 20th century icons rooted firmly in real world history & are thus finite as we crawl into the 21st century.

seriously, what's wrong with casting it as a black guy? or Latino guy for that matter?
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what I would DEFINITELY be against is if they dye Will Smith's hair blonde... that just wouldn't be right...

Watch Generation Kill. James Ransome should play Bucky.Smith is charismatic and can even make a shit film watchable, but he is NOT Captain America. Unless they mean he's the first Captain America from the Truth mini-series. But, no way should he be Steve Rogers. He can be Black Panther, though. That would be kinda sweet.

haha, I believe the correct term is "Congelatio-Negropolation".
I second Jon Hamm.

Sept. 8, 2008, 4:39 p.m. CST

by Alec.Eiffel

the biggest problem I see is that it's important for this movie not to be "MOTHERFUCKING WILL SMITH IS captain america". He has a tendency to overshadow the movies he's in with his overwhelming personality, which is cool. I'll admit to really enjoying I, Robot because it was 'will smith fighting robots'. Captain America how ever is part of a series of movies and it would really fuck up the Avengers movie if it was starring Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Nick Fury and MOTHERFUCKING WILL SMITH. Y'know?

nearby we have the Patton museum, which includes an exhibit on actual racism stateside during WW2 years. There were NO major officers of colour. Hollywood keeps breaking out the realism word, and completely miss semantics in doing so.

This is just one of the worst ideas ever. It's enough that Nick Fury was made black and whenever we get a Green Lantern flick comes out, it'll be the black version, I'm sure. I have nothing against against black superheroes or Will Smith for that matter but I prefer them to be the way they were originally.

sticking it to you whiteboys and your insufferable superiority complex havin' azzes, my inner comicbook geek prevents me from signin' off on this...Instead, let Will Smith's Overbrook Production Company produce it and reap over 75% of the profits, use said profits to do a remake of Three The Hardway, where some underground black nationalist poison the water supply that only kills white men. J/K.

Limbaugh and O'Reilly while being total cocksuckers are not spinsters. Go look the word up. While your at it, try finding the source of the statistic that stated that 90% of the population does not know who Captain America is.

NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!<p>Stop DESTROYING classic superheroes with this incessant IDIOTIC POLITICALLY CORRECT CASTING!!! GAHHHH!!!! >:O<p>Not only is Captain America well-known to the general public as being White, but this is supposed to be a PERIOD PIECE set in WWII! There's NO WAY — despite Marvel retcons whitewashing history — the U.S. Government in 1941 would've chosen a sickly Black man to be the lucky recipient of a Super-Soldier formula that would make him their heroic military figurehead to fight the Nazis! Black men had to fight just to be able to battle in the same brigades as their White counterparts, and now we're supposed to believe a Black man was picked to be this nation's HERO in the 1940s???<p>Complete B.S.!!!<p>This is the SAME sort of crap that was pulled when they cast Will Smith as James West in Wild, Wild West! A big reason why that film flopped was because it was preposterous to believe that a Black man would be chosen as the premiere "secret agent" of the U.S. in the 1870s. It simply would not happen.<p>Hollywood simply refuses to GET IT... STOP trying to shoehorn 21st century mores into period films and SCREWING UP comic book history! Captain America WASN'T Black and would have never have been given the formula if Steve Rogers WAS Black. That may not be nice, but it's a FACT and trying to shove a 39-year old Black actor into a role made for a 20-something White guy is simply a recipe for losing A LOT of money, the respect of your audiences and the potential profits from the Avengers film that supposedly going to wrap up the entire Marvel "crossover experiment."<p>Take the damn pistol AWAY from your temple, Marvel and just hire a DAMN WHITE GUY!!!! >:O<p>DAMN, they're STUPID!!!

think about what capt is. he's that good ol' boy that's forever stuck in 1942 completely filled with supposedly classic american values. if you put a black guy from the 1940's in that suit, he's going to be the black guy that got racially shafted and became the guinea pig of the super soldier program. to be true to that, he has to be full of angst at the crackers that did that to him. that changes the character on so many levels. yeah, he still has those wholesome values, but he just can't believe in people as much anymore. And everyone knows we haven't always been a PC nation. According to the past sixty-plus years of comics, Steve Rogers was chosen by our WHITE government as the symbol of america during WWII. black people couldn't even eat at certain restaurants in parts of the country, but good ol' uncle sam chooses a black guy to be Capt America? doesn't make sense. Unless you change the back story. which would make a great storyline in a comic book(as in ultimate origins where they are linking fury and capt together as super soldiers), but before you can appreciate different versions, you have to appreciate the original. so you have to stick to the classic capt. most roles are racially open to interpretation. but capt's not one of those. he's a white, white man. this isn't racist it's rational. it just doesn't fit the back story. tony stark could have been a black guy. peter parker could have easily been a black guy. bond can be a black guy (as long as he's got a british accent). but not capt. his race has so much to do with his back story. i think the fact that he's white says a lot about our country then, and having a black nick fury says a lot about our country now.

Webster's defines a "spinster" as a woman whose occupation is to spin. O'Reilly and Limbaugh are both man-bitches who spin the story to fit their neo-con ideals, so I would say the term "spinster" applies. And that 90% number isn't an official poll count, just a figurative figure. I just know that your average American who doesn't read comics has no idea who Captain America is, and he's probably less known in the rest of the world.

You... someone could argue that you're being racist. Especially with you stating that you're not being racist. You're not backing up your argument with actual logic. Sam Jackson as Fury works. The older version of Fury would not sell to movie audiences. I loved the Garth Ennis Nick fury (AICN comic nerds know what I'm talking about), but that would just not sell because he is simply a cantankerous, angry, psychotic old man. The ultimate Nick Fury is a sneaky, get the job done at any cost kind of guy. Jackson can sell that. He can play the bad guy if need be, which the Ultimate Fury sometimes is. The John Stewart Green Lantern (the black guy) works just fine too. Hell have a bunch of Green Lanterns! Oh wait... they do. It's called the Lantern Corps.

Sorry it won't work. Smith doesn't have the gravitas or the phyiscal presence. Of course a pure action Movie musclemass like Arnie or Sly would be equally silly.<p>
<p>Eckhart could work. But if this Movie is relying on "star power" from it's lead to get Box Office then it's in trouble already.

This would be perfect. Clint Eastwood as old Bruce Wayne and Shia Lebouf as Terry McGuinness.
Fuck yes. Throw in Megan Fox as that sexy bitch in the blue dress.
and Anthony Hopkins as the resurrected Joker.
Damn... that would fucking rock.

Good Lord. First stupid rumors that Cher will be Catwoman... now this?!?
I'll give you one reason (out of, oh, maybe a dozen) why Will Smith will NOT be Captain America. Money. Having Smith star in the one-off Captain America movie would be expensive enough. Can you imagine how much it'll cost them to pay for all these high profile actors once The Avengers is being planned? Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton, Samuel Jackson, Will Smith, plus whoever's going to play Thor and Ant Man - all in one movie? They'd go bankrupt! There's no way they'll pay someone with Smith's paycheck demands to play Captain America. No way in Hell. Case closed. Kill the rumor now.

Did you buy Tim Roth as a super soldier in Incredible Hulk? I don't think physical presence has anything to do with it as far as a movie Super Soldier goes. Besides, most acting beefcakes are also meatheads, so the whole "they have to look like a 'super soldier'" is out the window.

....I called this months ago during one of the Avengers Movie talkbacks. Of course at the time I was just making the comment for shock value knowing full well that Hollywood would never be that stupid. Goes to show ya....

It saves me the time of going into the detail of why a post sucked. When I type "FAIL" you know that the post sucked nuts. The person failed horribly at getting his point across and therefor his post was deemed as "FAIL".
Just be happy it wasn't "Epic Fail".

Get James Marsden. Sure, he was in X-Men, but we never really saw his face. Just give him a dye job, and some contacts if he needs them. He has the build, he has the acting chops, and his character was way underdeveloped in all the X movies. This could be his chance for a real comic hero role. Either that, or break out Reb Brown again.

If Derek Luke was talking about Captain America and that he heard Will had been offered the movie it's just what it sounds like a rumor. I know why there is a distinct worry that Smith could be cast as Steve Rogers. B/C you would only use someone of such notoriety to change Rogers' race. I don't think Marvel would do that especially with the existence of a canon black Captain America. I am not suggesting that they shouldn't/couldn't swap races of major characters. I am a huge proponent of The Rock playing Superman and as an african-american I love that this conversation of Will Smith playing Steve Rogers is even happening. Saying all of that there is little chance of Marvel doing a change that big on this character. So if they are casting for a black lead I'd be looking at Isaiah Bradley myself. They could compare it to the Tuskegee Experiments, and really give the story some deeper drama. I'd love to see the formula start as a dirty secret and then over time earn prestige when Isaiah proves its worthwhile properties. Then they give it to Rogers who becomes the propaganda poster boy. Parallel the secrecy of Bradley vs the prominence of Rogers. I'd even be willing to say that Bradley dying, ie making the ultimate sacrifice for his country, could be the thing that gives Rogers hope again. Since we know he is disappointed in America when he wakes up, a Black American who lived through the Civil Rights and Black Power movements but still fought for his country even dying for it could be seen as the ultimate patriotism. Then we get both the classic Captain America and a dramatic story that keeps the movie from becoming comedic/campy. If we also happen give minority children in america a minority Captain America to dress up as on Halloween and pretend to be on playgrounds... Then I can only see the movie as being even more positive.

I stopped reading your post when I read your Rock = Superman shenanigans. If you're trying to get people to read your opinions and take them seriously... leave retarded shit like that out. Or at least post it at the end.

How dare anyone say it is racist to not accept Will Smith as Captain America. It has nothing to do with race as much as it has to do with Continuity of the Story and the source material. While, I am sure Smith can play the role well and be all Mr. 4th of July about it, I do not agree that it follows the Cap/Avengers tie in that most of us Marvel fans are expecting. As people mentioned before casting Smith would be stunt casting and would also prove that there is no care for the fan base or the source material. Racisim is the furthest thing from the issue here. That would be like Voting for Obama, just because its about time we had a black president and not because of his platform or his political views.

why not do the movie as a "What If" in alternative universe where, as some have suggested,Cap is given the Super Serum as part of the Tuskegee Experiments. Then in the 60's he grows out a big Afro with a pick in it, joins the Black Panthers and gives the Black Power salute at the Olympics. Yea ... take that haters.

But you have to believe the guy is a soldier.<p>
<p>I just don't get that vibe from Smith. He was a captain in Indpendence day yes, but a Pilot not someone who looks like he has been through hell in WWII.<p>
<p>Gravitas is needed and Smith never really pulls that off as he is always a touch too jokey in his roles.

...Steve Rogers would have to go into suspended animation somehow, and that's just not really possible, little men who turn into giant green Hulks aside. Does Steve Rogers get frozen in ice, like in the comics? Kind of stupid and unrealistic if you think about in realistic movie terms, which seems to be the track they took with Iron Man and Incredible Hulk.<p>
Plus, in the new movies, the Super Soldier serum comes from the Incredible Hulk, which doesn't happen until the present. That means a movie Capt America who fits in with the RDJ Iron Man and Norton Hulk will have to be a new player, as opposed to some white guy who goes into suspended animation like some cheap Austin Powers rip-off, which means people arguing against Will Smith because he would never be a WWII icon have no argument. But, I guess if they start bringing in Thor, "reality" kind of goes out the window doesn't it?

Ya know, It would totally kick ass if he was playing Isaiah Bradley in a flash back. That means they could introduce The Patriot as sort of a pseudo Bucky. Could possibly spin it off into a Young Avengers movie. Just saying.

Brad Pitt? Aw Hell Naw. We Need Actors That Actually Like The Character And Will Come Back For Spin Off Movies & Wont Demand A Truck Load Of Money (Tobey) For Trilogies. Thats Why I Liked Brandon Roth. He Said "As Long As They Are Making Superman Movies, I Want To Be Superman". We Need That Devotion. Im Afraid We Wont Get That From Blockbuster Actors. I Could Actually Handle Smith But His Schedule Could Kill Everything I Just Said.

...since I don't condone this type of casting, you're lumping me in with "evangelical conservatives"? Nice, very nice. You are very typical. Actually, I despise the very notion of religion, especially in an organized and loud fashion.

If you go back and watch The Incredible Hulk, you'll see that the Super Serum came from an experiment they tried way back in the day that was just shelved. You actually see when they're removing the serum from the cryogenic freezing thing that the original scientist's name is on there as well as a date from back in WW2.
Suck it. Now stop trying to sound like you know things.

I mean considering what could happen in America in the next few years...I mean it would be a weird time capsule if it reflected a time where a black man was president and Cap America followed suit. HOWEVER, beyond that it needs too muck work to pull it off to please anybody. I mean theres well documented proof of racial intolerance in the 40s that suggests that the american government would not have allowed an african american to be a super soldier-they wouldnt big him up, when they could have a good old clean cut white all american boy.Now unless the film played on that angle, then it would just be too glaring....however, ANY captain america film nowadays would have to convey the massive leaps in history-I mean how would an actual comic book classic steve rogers cope in obamas america? (providing he wins-Im for him anyway)I mean a captain america film if handled right could be a less cheesy all american patriot-fest, (and if they didnt hold back on americas past (particularly the RECENT past)) more a morally complex thriller ala TDK....but seeing as Superman Returns was kind of a good supes one off oddity and got majorly dissed, then I dont see a weird black cap america flick being accepted by the fans too much...but we'll see...

as they have a MLK Jr. character in the movie and he is played by Steve Guttenberg. Seriously though, how do studios start fucking up their franchises at the CONCEPT stage. They might as well bring out the old Captain America movies from the early 80's or whenever.

There is no way Marvel would do this. They would get so much hate mail that their servers would blow up. This is phony. If so, lets get Emmanuel Lewis to be Bucky and Gilbert Godfried to be the Red Skull.

Okay, I dis-remembered the WWII serum stuff, just like I dis-remembered most of that forgettable movie. Alright, so if they do go with a resurrected WWII Captain America, which would still be silly but could work since the Super Serum would help preserve his body and vital functions, then no, Will Smith would not work as Captain America.

..If you actually belive that Marvel would be stupid enough to cast Smith as Cap..unless it's the prototype Captain A. (Based on Marvel's GN The Truth in which the first man to receive the unproven SS Serum was a Afican American.) But it's not gonna happen.AICN loves to stir up shit at times don't they?

Zak Penn (and Mark Millar) have already confirmed that in creating the Marvel movie universe they are drawing a lot of inspiration from the ULTIMATES. So it totally makes sense that they could incorporate the ideas from T:RW&B into Cap's history. But the real reason for even thinking of Will Smith is FAR MORE PRACTICAL: he is simply the ONLY real movie star Hollywood has left, equally capable of opening big tent-pole pictures and delivering solid character performances. You know that Cap's "man out of time" theme is going to play heavily into his cinematic incarnation, and Smith has proven himself, whether you like his movies or not, as an excellent actor. So while Eckhart would probably be the perfect choice in terms of look, acting ability, and whatever else is a priority for you (and lets be honest--he's probably at the top of Kevin Feige's wish list, with the added benefit of stealing him from DC/Warners), Smith is more bankable. Plus, superficially, he's got the build for the character. This is the first Marvel movie character who actually has to LOOK heroic. A wiry, aging Brad Pitt ain't gonna do it.

Executives try to get the biggest name they can, continuity and tradition be damned. It's why Robert Redford was offered Michael Corleone, Superman and Benjamin Braddock from The Graduate, even though he would have been wrong for all of them. (Redford, of course, would have been perfect for Cap 30 years ago, but that's neither here nor there). Smith would bring in the people, but it's a stupid idea for many reasons. For one, it's ahistorical (you just wouldn't see a black man leading missions at the time; sad but true). As well, it's against the bare minimum continuity; what most people know about Captain America is that he's a blonde, blue eyed white guy. Finally, it goes against what has been brilliant casting for other superhero roles. Downey, Bale, and Norton were not the biggest names that DC and Marvel could have gone with, but they fit the parts. Personally, I see someone like Nathan Fillion as Cap, but even he might be too old. In any case, Smith is a silly choice.

captain america was white blonde and blue eyed in the comics since his creation in the 1940s - its not racist hypocrisy that some find this to be a bad idea - i like will smith, and im sure hed do the role justice - but for the last 60 yrs steve rogers appeared in the comics as a white guy - doesnt it stand to reason he be depicted the same way in the movie? - unless they change the origin and make him a veteran of more recent wars - kuwait, iraq etc - then smiths casting would work - why is superman always a white guy in movies? - because he was in the comics

It could work, as long as they throw away the WWII angle, which I think would be a shame. The whole point about Cap in the modern era is that he is the spirit of American heroism, literally back from the dead. It just doesn't make any sense to have a black actor playing him in that time period. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury is not the "classic" Nick Fury, who also started out as a WWII hero, but would make no sense in that role because he would be over 90 by now.

I was pissed off when singer made supermans cape fuckin bergandy instead of red. It has nothing to do with race. Nick fury is sam jackson in the ultimate marvel u. He's cool. Cap is a white guy. I like my superheros to look like they do in the comics. I mean is that not half the point of making these movies, to bring these iconic charactors to life?

I was pissed off when singer made supermans cape fuckin bergandy instead of red. It has nothing to do with race. Nick fury is sam jackson in the ultimate marvel u. He's cool. Cap is a white guy. I like my superheros to look like they do in the comics. I mean is that not half the point of making these movies, to bring these iconic charactors to life?

Honestly...did you see how big that guy got for "Gangs of New York" or whatever that movie was called...Plus he has the look and would give the movie cred. He's about do for a legit action movie to round out his career.

I really think that they have to go beyond the "get the biggest name we can" way of thinking. Admit it, Downey should not have been the first choice for Iron Man, and Bale was *not* a big name before Batman Begins. If we went with this line of thinking, we would have Redford as Michael Corleone, Ashton Kutcher as Batman and Vin Diesel as Hellboy, and our moviegoing experience would be all the lesser for it.

I would not be in favor of a Will Smith as Captain America. He just doesn't have the Steve Rogers feel to him. But I remember in the "What If's Comics, one issue was if Captain Americas wasn't the only Super Soldier and because of the political/racial climate there were attempts at Black Super Soldiers, but when Steve Rogers is president in that comic they give black soldiers a tainted strand of the super soldier serum as "proof" that black folks couldn't take advantage of it (keeping in with the times of course). Will Smith "could" be one of the few who were able to resit the tainted strand, but I'm nit sure how that would work out. what do you think?

The Death of Captain America didn't register with the public beyond current comic readers. The movies are based on a very loose continuity that the average moviegoer knows about the character. If they followed continuity to the letter, the the Hulk should be red and Iron Man a skrull, or whatever the hell Marvel is doing right now.

CA needs to be a narrow-minded uber-conservative, bible-belt, milk-n-cookies, no sex before marriage, white-bread stereotype. He needs to be the fish out of water that encounters a black superior officer (Black Nick Fury), a black president or woman vice president, and a world that isn't as black & white as it relates to enemies anymore. Marvel should show some balls and make Cap a bit of a dick at the start, and then turn into the President's lap dog-kinda like Superman was Ronald Regan's go-to boy for all things Pax Americana back in The Dark Knight Returns ('86). Once he realizes that people played him to be a tool, he can redeem himself.

I think the majority of the populace, the voting populace, is done with the Republicans and their failed, destructive policies for the forseeable future. The MILF was a cynical ploy to get Hillary voters and its going to fail; seeing as how Palin is essentially another Nazi Xtian. The race will be tight, mostly because there are still lots of racist people in the country, but Obama is going to take it. <br><br>
You know what is a good indicator? The fact that McCain has been trying, awkwardly, to hijack Obama's change message. As soon as you start hijacking your opponents message, you lost.

What is wrong with Will Smith being Captain America exactly? He is an action star, right? Smith does have cross over appeal and brings in tremendous box office around the world, right? I could understand people being against him post Hancock (one of the worst films I've ever seen) but that is clearly not the reason people are angry about him as the potential lead in this film. Yes, it wouldn't be what the character is in the comic. But that wasn't true for Green Lantern on the animated Justice League show and personally I thought that worked out really well. Flame on. But let's call it what it is...Racism and prejudice against a black man being Captain America.

Remember, Cap was created by two Jewish guys who indended him as a bigger-than-life, slightly corny WASP hero (which is why he could get away with stuff like socking Hitler on the jaw). He is naive enough to believe that if you work hard and play by the rules you'll succeed, and the modern world is disillusioning to him.

Sorry, man, you're wrong. Captain America, Steve Rogers, is a white guy. Yeah, it could be changed, but why? To me that almost seems more racist. Like, what, black audiences won't see a white Captain America? I don't think so. <br><br>
In terms of Green Lantern, John Stewart was a black human male AND a Green Lantern, hence, black Green Lantern. Remember the Lanterns are a like a corps of space cops, so there really is no one Green Lantern, theres thousands of them. It just so happens that 4 of them are from Earth, and one of those four, John Stewart, is black. <br><br>
Actually, now THAT could be cool -- Will Smith as Green Lantern John Stewart. I would dig that. I like Will Smith, just not as Cap. Steve Rogers Cap specifically.

Nick Fury black works because Sam Jackson is a god. Michael Duncan Clarke made Kingpin work so well it was the best thing in an "okay" film.<BR><BR>
Capt. America as black? Not if Willy Smitty plays him. That actor simply cannot pull it off. Regardless of some deal a suit makes.<BR><BR>
And something unspoken, and possibly unrealized by many today: the nazi ideal was a WHITE blond Aryan. Capt. America had more than a hint of 'he is our WHITE blond American ideal'. Wait, ... maybe that is a small part of the reasoning to make Cap black. No, probably just corporate greed.

because there was precedent for GL being black (I'm assuming the JLA cartoon has John Stewart, not Hal Jordan). Other than the Truth miniseries, there has never been a black Captain America. If you want to make him a modern character, throw away the WWII backstory, fine, use Smith. But I feel that it would really be missing something. Cap as a product of WWII is, to me, a dealbreaker for the character.

because there was precedent for GL being black (I'm assuming the JLA cartoon has John Stewart, not Hal Jordan). Other than the Truth miniseries, there has never been a black Captain America. If you want to make him a modern character, throw away the WWII backstory, fine, use Smith. But I feel that it would really be missing something. Cap as a product of WWII is, to me, a dealbreaker for the character.

because there was precedent for GL being black (I'm assuming the JLA cartoon has John Stewart, not Hal Jordan). Other than the Truth miniseries, there has never been a black Captain America. If you want to make him a modern character, throw away the WWII backstory, fine, use Smith. But I feel that it would really be missing something. Cap as a product of WWII is, to me, a dealbreaker for the character.

But wasn't the fact that the Americans had their own Aryan superman battle the nazis IRONIC? Or am I seeing too much when it wasn't really there?
<p>
Speaking of irony, Smith ruined what could have been a nice note of irony in i, Robot of a black man being a bigot against the slaves/robots with his sweet potato pie, sneakers and aw hell naw bullshit. The whole thing is pretty much a racial allegory and the 'street' stuff ruined it (it wasn't there before he and his writers touched the script).

One minute he will make something with a fucking GREAT performance like Ali and to a lesser extent Pursuit of Happiness, and the next minute he makes shit like Hancock and MIB 2.
So the moral of the story is, only see his Oscar-bait movies, because he gives a good effort in those and the results are great. And DO NOT SEE HIS BIG BUDGET FILMS.
Captain America played by Smith is a dumb rumor though.

And yes, he did not ring true as Jim West--but that was only one of many fuck-ups with that film. Smith did work in I Am Legend. Neville's race is not a factor in the novel. I don't recall if it's even alluded to at all. Some characters simply do not lend themselves to arbitrary changes in gender and race (or in the case of a Jack Black Green Lantern: body type). Marvel couldn't sell me a black Kingpin, and they're not going to sell me a straight Gambit. Gambit has to be every bit as gay on screen as he is in the comics.

But not Will Smith, have it still be a white dude. It would be part 4 of the white film cycle -- Summer of Sam, The 25th Hour, and Inside Man, all of which were pretty cool, especially the first two. You know, just to keep it outwardly about race and stuff.

come on , if you are going to make Captain America, DO IT RIGHT,bring us the Steve Rogers that has been there from the beginning....and that Steve Rogers was white.... the Nick Fury change isn't that much of an issue as he has been changed in the comic,but to change Cap simply for the Box Office #$$$ or to jump on the public's fascination with Obama, then that is just plain wrong...take the lesson learned from Iron Man-RESPECT the SOURCE MATERIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Set the movie after Sept 11th and cast an Islamic Osama Bin laden looking guy as Captain America who will lead the forces of George Bush to victory in Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Iran! George Bush is right! The US economy is stable! And Iraq posessed weapons of Mass Destruction! It's the perfect movie that America can make! In other words it's my way of saying that if you're casting Will Smith as the WWII Steve Rogers Captain America, then you're a fucking retard and obviously have no value for the source material except to paranoid-ly hide your own inert racism by saying you're alright with this shit...<br><br>Facts: America didn't like black people very much in WWII, the civil rights movement and end of slavery didn't happen for a long time afterwards. It would make no sense for America to make a black guy the symbol of their forces. Captain America represented that old American value system. Even bringing him back to modern times had him retain his old memories and old values. Making that cap a black guy completely changes all that shit up. It's not the movie or the cap I want to see. If you're making some kinda new Captain America 2999 AD movie, then fine, do whatever you want... If you're doing a "What if...?" movie then that would also be awesome! But that's not what anyone's aiming for here. This is stunt casting just to play off of the exact controversy that has everyone in this talkback's panties up in a bunch. If they seriously considered this idea you honestly think the first thing they did was consider the significance of a black man in that role and the themes that he'd bring and all that other poetic shit? No, the first thing they thought was, this is gonna cause a shitstorm and people will argue, self righteous politically correct assholes will try and push our movie and market it for us by insisting it's a good idea etc. etc. That's right! you're nothing but a bunch of fools dancing to a fiddle. <br><br>This is a stupid idea and it won't happen. I guarantee it!

Ultimate Fury was created based on Jackson. Both in appearance and attitude. And it was a GREAT idea. One of the better ideas in comics in 10 years. The regular 616 Fury can just fade away, and no one will miss him...
This idea, however, is blatantly taking the ACTOR into account, and not the CHARACTER. There's a huge difference, and IT IS NOT RACISM. It's people who have wanted a good Captain America movie since that dreck from the 80's, and like someone else said, they are fucking it up IN THE CONCEPT STAGE, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

Right on. Chris Rock was pursued as Jimmy Olsen during the ill-conceived-but-who-knows-might-happen-again Black Suit/No Flying Superman phase in the 90s. Also, MARLON WAYANS was actually signed on to Batman Returns but was written out (obviously) after a couple of drafts. Which is good, because then we would never have been blessed with the WB's sensational series "The Wayans Bros". Shit changed my life.

Will Smith isn't much of an actor. He brings too much of a thuggish cocky attitude into his movies. I just saw Hancock and it was lame. I, Robot was a horrible Blade Runner wannabe. He was okay in I Am Legend, but he would be a terrible Cap. And to all of you stupid morons who are saying people opposed to this idea are racists, I say you need to get that dick our of your mouth and listen. Captain America is a fucking monolithic figure. You can't change something as important as his appearance without doing great harm to the character. What pisses me off is that Marvel would never cast a white actor to play a black comic character. Because they are pussies. They are sniveling cocksuckers who care more about making money than sustaining the integrity of what their characters are. They changed Nick Fury, which was a BAD idea. Same with Kingpin! Instead of giving into the PC crowd like a bunch of little bitches, they need to make a good movie based on a black comic character. Don't make a white character black. Make a Black Panther movie. Instead, they will continue to fuck with icons, because they are cowardly bitches.

... you are a stone-cold nutter. If you're going to try to turn this talkback into the equivalent of a Holocaust denial thread, I'll fucking usher you out without hesitation. I'm already uncomfortable with a lot of the virulent reactions here, but you're not going to start pretending that the Tuskeegee Airmen simply didn't exist. That's just horseshit crazy.

Not only did Willy-boy stink up a solid script turned to crap film H@nd-To-Cock... The arrogance inherant in the idea that he, his management, studio personel et al, anyone... thinks it a-ok to place him in this role is astonishing!

But then, I don't even a BROWN-HAIRED guy to play Cap. I don't even want a guy with GREEN EYES to play Cap. It's not crazy, racist, sexist, or eye-ist to want an actor to look like the character they're playing.

And I thought MCD was a terrible Kingpin, just for the record. <p>
Whoever said 90 % of the people don't know who Cap is doesn't have a clue. His death was a big news item. <p>
And in response to another comment... no one said "black people can't be superheros"... just don't change the race of established characters (particularly characters with THIS long of a history, and ties to actual history to boot).

What's with the inquisition? Have we honestly come to the point where a guy gets completely ostricized for racially based humor just because he's white? What about Chappelle, Lawrence, Murphy, etc? If you can give me an intellectually honest answer, I'll be satisfied.

Thats pretty fucked up. It didn't come off as a joke, it seemed like you meant it. The part about white dudes playing them in blackface was kinda funny in a satirical way. Maybe you didn't realize what you were writing or how it sounded.

Is Bruce Wayne British? Is Tony Stark 5'8"? Uhm nope and nope. Did ont stop Bale and Downey, Jr. Oh, is Wolverine 6'2"? Uh, nope. I am not thrilled with the idea of changing Caps ethnic origin, especially if the movie is set in WWII. However, there is a dearth of Black comic book Characters - everyone keeps using Black Panther and Luke cage, because that is all they know (because that is all that existed for decades). So, why not shake it up? Perhaps Cap is the wrong character, but I have zero problems with Fury or Kingpin being black.

Since we're talking about major historical issues, and, given that I apologize for my poor taste. I just wonder if it would have met with the same hostility if I were of another race, making jokes about, say, any random institution of W.A.S.P. culture, something valid and important to people.

You know, about Superman's pet dog that shows up sometimes. I think Krypto is fucking terrifying. He's a fucking dog with the powers of Superman! He's like the Dog God. If he goes nuts, its like, All Fucking Over. Come to think of it, Superman is kind of terrifying too. I'm glad Batman has a reserve of Kryptonite just in case. Supergirl is hot. Love to tap that ass. And Batgirl! And Catwoman! Man, that would be a sweet threesome to fall into. They'd by all kissing each other on the pussay, and I'd be like, whassup super bitches, and they'd be all, have sex with us and I'd be all totally, fuckin a, man, and like, totally fuck them all. Yeah!

When you invoked your 'grandfather' as being there, you lost all benefit of the doubt that you were simply making a joke. When Mori and others were about to wipe you off the face of the TB, you pulled out the lame ' I was joking' defense.

Once again you miss the point. You were engaging in revisionism, not humor. It would not matter what color or ethnic origin you were. That can not be tolerated - nor can flat out racist or bigoted statements.

Sure a white man can make satirical racist jokes, but its how you say it and present it. It didn't sound like a joke. The part about white guys in black face playing the characters was kinda funny for instance.

... since I can see what you're insinuating: I don't believe in "reverse racism," and I don't believe the old saw, "Only white people can be racist." Racism is racism. Period. And revisionism of history is unacceptable, especially recent history that is 100% verifiable and as racially charged as what you made a joke about. I don't give a shit what color you are, and frankly, that wasn't part of my response. I didn't say, "You can't say that because you're white." You can't say what you said because it's grotesque and awful. See the difference?

I actually kinda disagree. They're black and I'm not. I think that is the difference. Mori made the only significant point in that I was making a joke about a major historical event that people find true value in. The rest of you are either following his lead or just a bunch of lame ass white-guilty apologists.

Captain America is far more of a respected father-figure sort of guy with real moral authority when you put him in the Avengers mix.<p>
<p>He never struck me as the one who was constantly throwing out one-liner gags and putdown to villains which is really what Will Smith would be more suited for. Spidermans usually the comic relief.<p>
<p>So if the Avengers film really is the destination for all these films then they must surely cast with the other actors already signed up in mind.<p>
<p>Though lets face it if Will Smith IS onboard that just makes the film a complete logistical nightmare for scheduling all the actors in the Avengers film.

I completely see the difference whereas I am entirely able to admit I could not before. I agree with you. You pointed out something I didn't see, which is the major aspect of disrespect to historical documentation. Other people who have complained have failed to impress me, but I am fully able to admit you're right about that.

I think it would pull people out of the movie too much. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Russel Crowe, hell even the dark knight himself Christian Bale would be awesome as the capt but i dont know how that would work seeing as he is already in the dc universe.

Will is Smith is now who Tom Cruise use to be. Anything he's in is going to be a blockbuster, even if it's shitty (Wild Wild West). Now here's my main point, Captain America can not be White. The epic Marvel theme park that they're building in Dubai is devoid of any and everything that's Captain America. Thanks to the imperialistic Cowboy George Bush, no one outside America will pay to see Captain America, not even the Brits. Now, if Marvel wants this franchise to take off world wide they have to do something drastic. And by casting Will Smith will guarantee this movie will be a "world wide" blockbuster. I would of preferred Mcconaughey, but if Marvel is smart they'll pull the trigger on this. Marvel is basically giving us the middle finger, tells us to fuck off since they supplicated to the fanbois with Iron Man and the Hulk. Now they're doing a Movie for them. And you know Will Smith gets any roll "he wants" "any role". He doesn't ask for roles, he turns them down for living. Think about it. You know will is salivating to be Captain America, with his Captain sized ego!

[explaining how he left the SuperFriends] "They said it was some sort of budget thing. But I think it's because I complained that they were always pairin' me up with a white SuperFriend, like I was gonna start super-lootin' the minute they weren't watchin'. And you think I named myself Black Vulcan? Hell, no! I used to go by SUPER Volt, "Black Vulcan" was Aquaman's idea. And I said, well, maybe we should just call you White Fish."<p>
<p>Pure electricity... in my pants.<p>
<p>Harvey Birdman thy name is Genius. ;-)

but Steve rogers has a well know look to him . he went from skrawny geek to basically perfect blonde hair blue eyes white guy. What thery are gonan do is cast teh wrong character for looks, ( regadless if he is a great actor) and its gonan take peopel out of the movie from scene one. Just liek they did with SUe richards, they realised they casted teh wrong look for her and they tried to fix it int eh secodn one by makign her skin paler and giving her creepy blue contacts. Hell i woudltn want arnold swatzenegger casted as Luke Cage.

There was black captain america first, then Steve Rodgers. This has a basis in the Marvel U history. I like Will Smith, so I could go either way. Kingpin was bad colour-blind casting because Kingpin is supposed to represent Big White Business Crime, I agree. Will Smith as Cap, which is probably a bullshit rumour if you ask me, could be interesting because Smith can bring the acting chops and Steve Rodgers colour of his skin matters not. I just don't see Big Willie pulling double/triple Marvel Movie Universe duty like actors like Samuel L. Jackson and/or Robert Downey Jr. And he's too big for the role. And he already has a superhero franchise. So, yeah, done.

Like I said, the Neocons have tarnished the American brand. The only for this to work is to cast the biggest actor on the Planet. And that ladies and Gentleman is William Smith. And by him being Black will silence the far left cynics here in the States and abroad. However, the GOP will blow a gasket if this came into fruition.

The comic book came out a few years ago..Marvel PG 1 Truth red,white & black written by Robert Morales and Kyle Baker "The Future Part 1 of VI" A six part min series however introduces an earlier version of Captain America--and his saga doesn't have the same ending....some "you" of sound like the "purists" who sent emails to Marvel a few years ago.
Get over it....in a few years there won't be just white or black.The majority is about to be spanish...and they are gonna want their own superhero!

Unless Jessica Simpson is playing Storm in X-MEN 4 and Jack Black is Blade in BLADE 4, there is NO FUCKING WAY Will Smith should be Captain America. That douchebag ruined THE WILD, WILD WEST with his stunt casting and he'd do the same thing here.

.....please just cast an unknown and have seasoned vets as supporting roles. Trust me. It's the only way to get this right. Plus last week, wasn't an "American Gladiator" in contention for the role? I'll wait til' the ink dries on this one. Also, this country really needs a "Captain America" film. I don't always agree with our political climate, but, I am proud to be an American, I was raised to be patriotic. My grandfather and my father served, both Italian Immigrants who believed in the ideals of this country.
www.myspace.com/jerryhorror

He won't be Steve Rogers. He'll be Isaiah Bradley. Isaiah Bradley was the FIRST Captain America, pre-Super Soldier serum. He had a prototype version of the serum that was passed along in his genetics to his grandson, who is the black superhero 'Patriot'.
Guarantee you he will be Bradley.

Any chance that the casting of Will Smith is because Marvel wants to do the "Isiah Bradley" Cap, and not the Steve Rodgers Cap? Just a thought - may be may off base, but the whole "Truth" mini-series that they did a few years back was pretty interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_Bradley

I still don't think you understand wh Mori and others we're going for your balls. It's not about telling a racial joke or being disrespectful to history. Simply put, your initial post sounded genuine. It didn't come off as a joke. Stand outside the box for a moment and read your post as another reader would have. It reads pretty straight. Your following remark about white actors in blackface had enough absurdism in it to be an obvious joke, but by that point you were coming off as a racist who's using snide sarcasm to drive his point. Again, we aren't mind readers here. Your initial post didn't read "joke".

Look: I'm black and I don't see it. It shifts the entire focus of the basic C.A. mythology in an odd way--not "stunt" casting but sheer star-vehicle casting, moving away from what made "Iron Man" such a fine movie. The resulting movie might well make a ton of money, but it's a rotten decision.

Ok, Samuel L. Jackson works as Nick Fury, because of the "Ultimate" series. But there is no reason for Will Smith as Captain America. Even if they want to do the Bradley origin story, they still need to do Steve Roger's origin.

...in the beginning and we still have a white Steve Rogers, I'd be all for this. I was very excited about Truth and bought every issue...and it sucked. I always thought it was an awesome idea with very poor execution - a real missed opportunity. I'd like to see it tackled in the movie. But I don't wanna see Will Smith as Steve Rogers, sorry.

Too bad it was impossible to do back in the 1940s...but the story idea is sound because you can damn well see the U.S. Government experimenting on an African American back then. And the irony would be that Cap then ends up fighting for freedom with the U.S. Army despite it all. But I think it would be a bad idea to make a black Captain America in the movie the same guy they ended up finding frozen in the glacier.

Bradley gets the serum and acts a kind of mentor to Steve Rogers' Cap. Or...if Bradley disappears at some point and reappears in a sequel on the opposite side, sort of combining Bucky and Isaiah Bradley together.

My friend was reading "Mein Comf" the other day, and was bitching about people thinking he was a Nazi. I knew he wasn't a Nazi, or had any similar thoughts as the party. But everyone who looked at him thought "Hmmm, he must be a Nazi."
Do you see what we mean now. Just because you didn't mean to send out that sorta message, others translated that message as either racist, or just ignorant.

I don't want to see him as Capt. America. Nothing about that casting makes sense. I hope it's just a stupid rumor started by someone with a really bad sense of humor.
Check out my blog-http://movietalktime.blogspot.com/

My friend was reading "Mein Comf" the other day, and was bitching about people thinking he was a Nazi. I knew he wasn't a Nazi, or had any similar thoughts as the party. But everyone who looked at him thought "Hmmm, he must be a Nazi."
Do you see what we mean now. Just because you didn't mean to send out that sorta message, others translated that message as either racist, or just ignorant.

This is not a good casting choice if it is even true. It's probably a bad rumor started by some idiot. Will is a capable actor, but having him as Capt.America just doesn't feel right. I hope it's just a bad joke.
Check out my blog-http://movietalktime.blogspot.com/

Daredevil= people had a problem with Ben Affleck- me? I liked it, especially the directors cut....
FF=people took issue with jessica alba- again, i didnt think the films(either of them) were that bad....
Captain America with Will Smith????Epic Fail....
Robert Downey JR as Tony Stark?!?!?!Now THAT was perfect casting.....

Who is more Amurrican than The Brim? Who could kick more ass, take more names, and get more ass, than The Brim? No one! The Brim was smacking motards in the forties and is still smacking them today! I say, The Brim IS Captain America!

The Internets were in a tizzy over RDJ as Stark. It was not perfect casting (Stark is better looking, taller, and suave - think Tom Selleck in the 80's), but it turned out perfectly. Same deal with Jackman.

Did you even think to look up the title of Hitler's book before typing your otherwise interesting post? It's "Mein KAMPF." You could have learned that in 30 seconds with any search engine. Really, man, such mistakes reflect poorly upon even an AICN TBer.

There were scenes where he reminded me of Luke Cage in the movie Hancock, he is well built, and looked like the character. As for Captain America, this character is so visually iconic, I just can not picture him being played by Will Smith. That would be one of the worst castings ever. And the backlash would be ridiculous. I would be very much like to see Arron Eckhardt as Captain, I can totally see that.

white people dont have a monopoly on this shit anymore. you should be fearful. you are the real minorities. the hegemonic structure of america will end up falling, and we will be watching will smith as capt america when it does. YES!

That's an interesting fight to walk in on. I find it interesting that I find Mori's reviews stunningly brilliant most of the time, yet I usually don't understand the battles he chooses. I agree with AnakinsDiapers, that the issue here was just as likely a case of dry humor gone bad, so why not have the self-awareness to acknowledge the possibility? Frankly, I don't buy the idea that you can't joke about revisionist history - I think revisionist humor is hysterical! You mean there is someone who thinks the Holocaust didn't happen??? I'm in fucking stitches! To make fun of them accordingly isn't inherently evil - perhaps it's in questionable taste in certain forums or at least risky, but with people who know your inclination (other people who know the Holocaust happened, for instance), it's perfectly legit. Yes, funny. Definately doesn't have to be racism to make fun of racists, but for all I know, Eddie may have meant it racistly - I'm just not going to speculate. I draw issue with the harpooning he's getting as if we know for sure he's a friggin died in the wool racist (mentioning that marines are supersoldiers painted you as a kind of conservative archetype in my mind which didn't help, though Eddie) is purely a factor of getting into an argument and not being able to take the gear out of 'escalation.' I find the idea that you can't disrespect history as funny as I did when I thought Eddie actually believed that bullshit. Your talking history, a discipline that only recently stopped being the biased story of what how we became great, he said derisively (not to get down on history, but as a method, it needs other fields to augment it's limitations).
Oh, and as a character I don't particularly know or care for, I say with ignorant bliss that I don't care if Will plays him, so long as he doesn't once play it like himself, which is highly unlikely, so yeah, I guess I don't think it's a good idea. However, a black Captain America might provide the post-modern twist of juxtaposing the super-patriotism of a red, white and blue unitard with a man that, under the circumstances, would represent our country's less-than-noble track record on race relations. It could actually make the character interesting.

before posting the exact same bits of information others already have, acting as if no one had done so earlier? How many times has "Truth: Red, White and Black" been introduced to us now? It first pops up barely 50 posts in, and 640 posts later it's still being touted as if none of us had heard of it!

But would they paint him blue? Would they glue lots of fuzz of any color to his face? He has a fuzzy face, you know, just like the Beast. It's true! (This was an argument I had on AICN's Zone forum 18 months ago.)

that of all the "rumored" or proposed cap's he gives me the most hope. Most of these guys being mentioned as "dream casting" are far to old or scrawney or subversive. The role requires a physicality and muscularity perhaps more than any other major superhero in my opion. I can buy a more svelt superman I could even see the proposed Pitt casting acceptable for Thor more than capt. Not because of how he is drawn but because he is a god he doesnt need big muscles hes supernatural. Captain America is about taking the human body to its peak and I beleive smith can pull that off more than any other marquee name being thrown around with the exception of Dwayne Johnson. Granted it would require a new framework for capt but if handled correctly could be very interesting.

He was 'harpooned' long before he decided to say 'it was a joke'. His posts came across not as an attempt at humor - I defy anyone to read his first two posts on that subject and see any attempt at humor in them. No, it appeared that he was sincerely trying to be revisionist and obliquely racist. That is why he was harpooned. After he saw the shitstorm he was tacking into, he changed his tune and said ' it was a joke'. Well, if it was, it was on him. I am still not ceratin he was joking though.

Every name thrown out Eckhart, Pitt, Smith, McConaughey are all way too old. He should be the age of a GI wanting to enlist to fight in WW2 not a guy goiong thru a midlife crisis Channing Tatum or some such?

Nah. A talent like the Fresh Prince could be val;uable to the movie, but in a lesser role, like buddy from Truth: Red White and Black (i forget the character's name). Steve Rogers is pretty iconic as a white guy with boinde hair, so i would figure the logical choice to play him would be...GORDON RAMSAY!!!

...over some of the racist overones in this talkback. (Not to say I'm surprised) I agree that it's a stupid idea to cast Will Smith as CAP (because we've seen him in the comics as a white guy for the last forty years- ulinke I Robot who's character was pretty ambiguous- NOT because a black man can't be Capt. America) but there is a real fine line between sarcasm and donwright tastelessness. Of course, a lot of you have a reputation to uphold so who am I to judge.

White.
I'm already pissed samuel jackson is playing Nick Fury...and lets not even talk about Kingpin in DareDevil.
It just destroys the backstories of these characters to make them completely different. I'd be pissed if a white person played Bishop, Storm, Blade etc.
The characters should be who they are supposed to be...especially if they plan on making an avengers film. Need I say more than the "Catwoman" film?
I love will Smith. He's a great actor, and he makes films sincerely entertaining. He'd be a great green lantern, or bishop, warmachine. Seriously...i think they could make a pretty badass bishop movie with will smith.
But Captain America was a cliche posterboy for the anti nazi soldier. It should be kept that way. That's who the character is. Now if they want to do something where the original dies...and will smith takes over...I guess I could live with that. But Steve Rogers...keep him how he is.

Okay, I'll give you this Toadkillerdog - it's more than likely he wasn't joking. I personally don't think he's an asshole or a douchebag if his grandfather filled his head with garbage, or some racist community or family similarly twisted him, if he did intend it that way. That said, I still maintain that the remote possibility that Mr foot-in-mouth might have had a moment (or a life trend) of complete lack of social awareness in thinking that the joke was so obvious it didn't need overt signs it was a joke. I have to say, I am inclined to think that a comment about the Tuskegee Airmen being a hoax has to be a joke, because statistically, people who believe that shit are few and far between. Because of inclinations like that, I've made jokes before that I assumed had to be taken as such, but were not, and maybe I'm sensitive to the phenomena. However, I conceed, we probably did stumble on just such an breed.

i love will smith, but cptn america cant be black.... i dont care if nick fury and kingpin were cast with big name black actors but neither one was the main star of the movie, nor the superhero in each movie...if the hero himself is black then thats fine..... just imagine if they did cast a white on white dude to play "black panther" ...im sure there would be an uproar also..

Now I could go for that, but Chiwetel Ejiofor is my favorite new actor in a generation. I don't know about Will in back to back super hero films, perhaps if he played a villain would be interesting?<BR><BR>I could see Ejiofor as Luke Cage and Smith as his evil nemesis. Will needs a change, a chance for him to deliver his Joker, or Lex Luthor...not literally, not that he is a Heath Ledger, but you see what the Joker role did for Ledger. It's time for Will Smith to play against type instead of always playing the hero...it is time for him to play the villain and expand on what he can do as an actor.

not at the names attached to these cating rumours, but that they are so rampant and we dont have anyone at the helm yet? Priority number one is a quality Captain America film. As someone who has multiple Capt statues it scares me that we've been hearing casting rumors for months but nothing on potential director's. Let's remeber Marvel wanted nothing to do with Downey it was Favreau who convinced them to even consider it before closing the deal with a reading. Look back when Ledger was brought on as the Joker, people were losing their minds. But, to hear Nolan tell it that was his guy from the word go no question. I guesse what Im saying is regardles of who is cast from A list to unknown I want to know that the casting is serving a specific vision other than green for the execs, rather than a vision adopted to support the casting!

I grew up reading Captain America, Avengers, Thor and Spider-Man, I even collected the older ones on sale at the comic store. My favorite Captain America went nuts on the Super-Soldier serium and had more of a personality. Let's face it, I am a Captain America comic lover but, Captain America can be boring sometimes. The last thing I want is for them to cast someone who looks as pretty as Captain America does and he ends up being as one-dimensional as Thomas Jane did for the Punisher.
We all know that blacks where in WW2. The new Spike Lee movie trailer looks awesome.
Will Smith can play a great Captain America and stick to it's origins. Plus, it would make more sense that they are testing an serum on a black man. Considering how America screwed over the black man in the early 20th century would make Captain America have more depth showing that he still loves his country.
Also, Nick Fury was boring until they made him into Samuel L. Jackson. Nich Fury comics where never really hot sellers and I hardly ever (like for years) saw them in the comic store. But, when they added personality.
Overall, Smith can still stick to the Captain America origins and he can add depth to the real USA without any sugarcoated bullshit.
The movie will make a hundred million more if they cast Will Smith.

I'm a complete fuck-up tonight. Illuminate has a point. I just don't think Smith is that good of actor. What about Chiwetel Ejiofor from Red Belt, he's ten times the actor Smith is. And he can believably kick ass on film.

if the angle of the film is going to follow what Illuminate pointed out. I'm not too familiar with Cap America, is there any pinnacle series point that defines him like Daredevil(F.Miller), Hulk(Grey Hulk/P.David), or Batman(F.Miller/Moore/Morrison/etc.)? I mean outside of that publicity stunt that followed in the path of Superman.

"However, a black Captain America might provide the post-modern twist of juxtaposing the super-patriotism of a red, white and blue unitard with a man that, under the circumstances, would represent our country's less-than-noble track record on race relations. It could actually make the character interesting."
So we should cast a member of our Olympic track team?

The oh so tired rebuttal, "random white actor should be black Panther / storm / luke cage etc., etc." is just a lame argument. Y'see, for many of the scarce prominent black characters out there, being black is a primary part of their self image. It is tied inherently into the character. The Black Panther is an African king. Guess what? black. Storm is an African who was worshipped as a goddess in her youth. Guess what? black. Luke Cage was the inner city black youth that fell into trouble but eventually made good. luke Cage is Shaft with super strength and steel hard skin. Guess what? black. Bishop? He's some guy from the future. There isn't a thing in his backstory or general character that neccessitates he be black. So really, the only thing that would make me annoyed by casting Bishop white is the lack of black superheroes on the screen in the first place. it's not as if there's a plethora of well known or historicly prominent black superheroes to choose from.

thats my two cents. It'd be nice to see Will Smith's ego play a cameo role, but no way is he being considered for Steve Rogers. <br><br>
Now Wentworth Miller, he'd be a cool Steve Rogers. I am aware he's English, but he's pretty no-nonesense in Prison Break.<br><br>
Max Von Sydow for Red Skull.

And though i like him as an actor, that would piss me off to no end. Will he wear a red wig? Can he do an american accent? In the unlikely event a sequel gets underway, will he be asked to do these things? Makes me cringe.

...oh, right: Casting Matt Murdock black, or english for that matter, would piss me off because Matt Murdock being Irish Catholic is a huge part of his character. It shapes too much of what he is as a person that changing that would make me ask, "then why do a daredevil movie?"

Sure, the olympic track team represents America at the games, but correct me if I'm wrong, Captain America is supposed represent the character of America. I think it'd be funny to make the symbol of American pride black, given that so many people in this country aren't prepared to represent themselves abstractly through a black character, much less make one the symbol of America. I would find that an amusing paradox, wouldn't you?</p>
<p> Just as these times would call for any biography on Jessie Owens to examine the double standard of making him our hero and second-class citizen, these times would read a fictious take on a similar scenario (black symbol of America) for the deep contradictions in it.

..but it's not really a fair comparison. Nick Fury is a dated second bananna, and as much as I love the character his look was cliche'd in the 60's. I'm not pericularly a fan of Sam Jackson as Nick Fury, not because he's black but simply because I'm goddawful SICK of Sam Jackson. Give it a rest already. I don't think race is THAT big an issue as far as Cap goes, he's actually my favorite character but even at that a black man during WW2 would definitely give some depth to a character that's always struggled with seeming very one-dimensional. I Started reading Cap in the 120's and tho I don't read the current crop of Marvel crap (Kill Cap? Fuck you!!Bucky staying dead was the only thing that saved Marvel's soul for years)I still love the character and I don't think Smith is suited for the role, NOR do I believe there's any serious offer out there. Brad Pitt for Thor though, my wife groans but I'm bringing her around.It's not about the muscles, the characters have to be done by great actors, see Iron Man and the Hulk for reference.

for a one-off, but for a movie building up to the Avengers flick the closer they stay to the Classic the better. And as high water marks for repugnant shit NiceGuyEddie defending himself and Jack'sUserId calling the black guy he was yelling at Shitlocks made me physically sick. Its great that you save the bans for people who hate the scriptgirl videos, and the most flak you can catch in a talkback like this is if you spell Hitler's book wrong.

Once you start trying to awkwardly hijack the other guys message ("change"), then, sorry, you lost. It doesn't matter if your running mate is a relatively attractive Nazi Xtian, she's still a Nazi Xtian. Changes nothing. Time to drink your cup of sorrow, John, and retire.

That would be ... 0 for 11 years last i checked. Oh and have you forgotten - Barack the Xtian has that lovely Jesus on his side too - that sneaky fucker apparently is endorsing both sides in this election.

batman begins and Caine said Chris there is no way you can top Batman begins.
Caine revealed that Nolan said to him I going to bring back the joker to which caine replied Holy Shit. are you going to get jack nicholson. Caine was the first person to hear that nolan had got the late Heath Legder. and caine felt there was no way nolan could top Batman Begins and Caine said that he was wrong and that Nolan did.
Caine said that he had heard the rumours about the villains for the next batman film and admitted there had been talks. Rumours are flying around that WB has decided who the next villains will be and who will play them. Caine talked to Nolan and caine said that he didnt know if nolan could top Dark Knight. Caine revealed that Nolan had mentioned Depp as the riddler and Philip Seymour hoffman as the penguin. if there is to be a third movie and nobody knows at this stage if there will be. The idea for the penguin is that he will be an arms dealer. This was all on Dark Horizons. Its all bs at this stage of course. interesting none the less.

Nobody would accept that accept race baiters. Will is doing great as Hancock, let him keep doing that. Cap in the 40's had to be white for America at that time in history for real soldiers fighting overseas. If it was made for the first time these days it would be ok.

Seriously...Robert Downey Jr in Black Face...forgotten Tropic Thunder already? Your kneejerk reaction to his joke, funny or not, is way disproportionate to the joke. You better ban Tropic Thunder now...or Dont mess With The Zohan. For all the blatant trolling Bullshit I see on this sight that is FAR more upsetting and vile methinks you protest to much and the issue is your own. What I DID find offensive was you comparing his joke to Holocaust Denial so maybe take a look at yourself and what irresponsible things YOU post before cracking on someone else. Even if it WASNT a joke comparing the severity of whether the Airman or the Fighting 44th existed to genocide...well...not even close.
That being said Im tired of Hollywoods revisionist history. Lets take a character like Black Panther and have Woody Harrelson play him...or Luke Cage played by Hulk Hogan. Lets stop supporting this overly PC Hollywood Crap...Steve Rogers is Blond Haired and blue eyed. He grew up in New York but not in Harlem and when he tried to join teh Army they said no because he was frail not black. This whole thing is such a blatant publicity stunt and it would backfire badly. They didnt make Superman a redheaded Irishman like myself. They didnt make Spiderman Latino...they didnt make Starbuck a girl...ooops....strike that. The point is its freakin patronizing politically correct stunt casting bullshit and its not a change thats even REMOTELY organic to the Cap mythos. If they pull this shit they will not get another dime from me on principle and I am a Will Smith fan.
So lay off Eddie...it was apparent to some of us that it was a joke and far LESS offensive then a lot of teh stuff this site lets slide.

If Superman won't work in this day and age, what chance does Capt. America have?
These are trying times with the world and our nation as it is. We're looking for a hero, but he has to be right, tough, and inspire hope and pride in being a unified people. Smith can play that - he can play anything! But the script... the script has to be good... no, the script has to be great! If it's not, Cap won't have a chance.
Plus... and I don't know that I want to go here, treading carefully... a message of hope, unity, and togetherness is working for Obama. Capt. America should stand on his own as a movie, as a superhero, and not too closely parallel, reference, or try to become, the Barack Obama movie.

I think if it was done right with a good director it could work. Have it be that the WW2 propaganda does focus on the typical white boy next door hero in the mask. However, the super solider serum only worked on Isaiah. Isaiah is the real Captain America that the public does not and would not even know about him, until the Avengers movie.

Having thought about it overnight, I can't help but feel a little bit put upon. People started laughing at the joke, then Mori showed up and the same people who were laughing started busting my balls. And I meant to point out how inappropriate and oversensitive it was to compare my joke to holocaust deniers, essentially labelling me a Nazi for making a blackface joke, but I didn't think I could without being banned. Bottom line, it was not in the best taste, but RE: whoever said that my initial post looked too serious for anyone to take it as a joke: what good is a joke with no setup? I definitely won't be making any jokes about blackface anymore, if I do continue to post here, or perhaps even any comments asserting that there is a double standard concerning what is considered racist. The shame of it all is that I used to like Mori's articles and usually tried to stick up for him when people called him a name dropping, pretentious prick. I never thought that of him, but the way he reacted to my joke and got so personal, I don't know if I can read his work anymore without feeling kind of uncomfortable.

...castings like this are designed to shove any negative reaction back into fan's faces. How can you react to casting a major character as a different race without being labeled a racist? Forget logic, modus operandi, reason, etc, you either love it or you are a racist?<p>I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing Thomas Jane in a re-imagination of Blade and if you think a white guy couldn't do that role then you're obviously a racist. What's the big deal after all?

...for a long, long time, pretty much every since Gladiator. For one thing, he's ACTUALLY AFRICAN.
Statham and Ritchie should redo Hellblzaer properly.
I've also said that they should redo Howard the Duck properly (Coen Bros directing, CGI duck with Steve Buscemi doing the voice) but nobody believes me.

Sarah Palin as CAPTAIN CYNICAL PLOY TO GET HILLARY VOTES THAT FAILS TO DO SO and/or CAPTAIN NAZI XTIAN MILF and/or CAPTAIN FIRST SHE WAS FOR THE "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE" UNTIL THE FED PULLED THE FUNDING WHEREBY SHE CHANGED HER MIND AND PRETENDED TO BE AGAINST IT FROM THE GET-GO and/or CAPTAIN OUT-OF-TOUCH and/or CAPTAIN RIDING-THE-COAT-TAILS-TO-FAILURE etc. etc. et al.

... you're really still trying to peddle the idea that it was all just an elaborate joke gone wrong.
<P><I>Really?</I>
<P>If your first post had been the one where you said it was Robert Downey Jr. and your grandfather and some other people in blackface, that's a joke. I still don't think it's a particularly funny one, but that is, by any definition, a joke.
<P>Simply posting on a talkback that was already awash in ugly racial tension "There were no Tuskeegee Airmen" is not a joke.
<P>If you still don't see the difference, and you STILL want to make this about how big and mean I am, fine. But I am comfortable with having called you out on the kind of comment that could have turned a talkback that makes ME deeply uncomfortable into the sort of thing that makes me regret the Internet entirely. All it takes is one match to a powder keg to set it off, and your first post was a match, nothing more.

Do you think I had some cockeyed theory that I intended to unveil upon you all, some fanatical racist belief, deeply held and formulated of hate? I had no such thought, theory, or idea. I said it knowing someone would ask what I meant, and then I was going to drop the Downey Jr. answer on them. I intended to point out how people get so uptight about these things. Granted, I shouldn't have used the TA's as joke fodder, but I hardly think it makes me a Nazi. Don't you think that was just a little heavy handed? On some points I agree with cineninja and others who have sided with me; if you want to continue to look down your nose at me, then fine. But can you concede at all that the two of us MAY have had a misunderstanding, that yours is not the only opinion out there, and some other people here have seen it for what it might be?

The medium used to tell a joke is extremely important. NiceGuyEddie19 forgot that he was attempting a racially charged joke over the internet, where no one is able see the visual subtleness of the setup, replacing it with a vague text hoping we would "get it". In other words, it was poorly structured and the obvious end result was anger.
Also, NiceGuyEddie19 needs to accept constructive criticism instead of assuming that he is only being attacked by Moriaty and others. When you have such an epic fail, you have to "man up" and explain yourself, whether you like to or not.
start here: http://www.stand-upcomedy.com/lib-glos.htm
or better yet, here: http://www.sfcomedycollege.com/

Constructive criticism? What's constructive about Moriarty making fast assumptions about my character based on five words and having him attack me based on that assumption, so that a dozen people who initially thought it was funny could turn tail and side with him and join in on the bashing, ignoring the punchline of the joke and reacting only to the setup? Just because it was a white guy setting up a joke based on race? Also, "epic fail" may be popular internet lingo, but is grammatically incorrect. That's grammar 101. Man up.

Bullshit. Total bullshit. I realize revisionism exists, but what you fail to recognize is that I wasn't engaging in it. I was setting up a punchline. And what is with this snowball effect argument? You think if someone denies that my jolly ranchers were stolen off my desk that somehow that will end up with everyone denying the holocaust? If you'll notice, there is also the small matter of the fact that denying the holocaust is denying a historical tragedy, where denying the airmen, should someone really do so, would be denying a historical triumph. I can just smell the douche in this TB.

NiceGuyEddie19, you are obviously too fucking stupid to know the difference between someone attacking you for what you did and someone defending you.
I WAS DEFENDING YOU, DIPSHIT!
You tried to make a joke and fucked up. Big time! You stated "that a dozen people who initially thought it was funny...", yet I'm still trying to find the initial statement of these so called "dozen" (not an implication of embellishment, I just can't find said statements). Justifiably, you were being attacked. Rightfully so, you "maned up" and explained yourself (or at least tried to). Many responded, some acknowledging your intentions and were merely offering advice and suggestions. I decided to go a step further when I realized that no one had presented the angle that I gave. If you had an ounce of intelligence, you would have noticed that at no time did I make a reference to your race. The fact that you have revealed yourself to be white in your response to me SHOWS THAT YOU HAVE ASSUMED THAT I CARED. I STILL DON'T CARE WHAT RACE YOU ARE. I had not even questioned your character nor taken sides...at least until now. "Also "epic fail" may be popular internet lingo, but is grammatically incorrect. That's grammar 101." (that's your statement, btw) Hey dumbass, when the hell has "internet lingo" ever been grammatically correct!? In all honesty, the simple fact that you are easily offended and completely defensive to what we all are saying to you proves that your level of maturity, intelligence and cultural exposure is severely lacking and you had no business to begin with in attempting such a joke. It's simply beyond your ability to comprehend.
Now go get a tissue to dry your tears and take a deep breath so you can stop whining like a fucking cunt bitch, Eddie. You've already admitted that you were wrong and it should have been the end of it. There is no shame in admitting fault. It shows humility. Instead, you insist on justifying your actions and intent. That is shameful and in turn, you deserve all of the insults being thrown back in your face.
(...Attacking the people who are defending you -- what a fucking idiot you are!)

That I think I'm gonna just uh, let you guys have at it. Have fun. You too, Mori. Enjoy bashing and villifying me. With your very brave and unique positions, not at all exactly like mainstream media bullshit. Ugh, have fun with your dumb ass insults, though, know I wont be reading them. Later guys, have fun.

...Eddie, please admit in hindsight that perhaps you would've acheived the "punchline" (which was a good initial idea...I guess, with the Tropic Thuder reference in mind which I didn't get at first) in a different fashion...and everyone else stop crucifying the poor guy. He's didn't do anything different than all the other "shock value" posters out there (except maybe get too defensive about it). Oh and Eddie my friend, (I can't believe I'm saying this) lay off Mori...he's always had a strong opinion about things and I'm sure it's nothing personal against you. Mori (in my experience) does not often back down from his points, and that in fact is one reason a lot of us (again, can't believe I'm saying this) really respect (granted, sometime reluctantly) his stuff on this site.

OK I like Will Smith, he personally would be a great falcon; or even be a great black panther; Not Steve Rogers
personally I think of only two actors that could play him and one might be the best
these two are
Matthew McConaughey
or Marc Blucas he played Riley Finn on Buffy (best I think for the role)

... I never said you were a Nazi or anything of the sort. I said that your joke was ugly and unpleasant. And that in a talkback already tense like this one, thanks to the rampant undercurrent of real racism that exists in fandom (something I've mentioned before, and which always seems to be confirmed by some of the folks who show up in talkbacks like these), that sort of "joke" really isn't funny or appropriate.
<P>I don't know you. I don't know anything about you. But I still think your joke is ugly, and considering that's been my ONLY POINT this entire talkback, I don't see where I owe anyone an apology.
<P>You, on the other hand, went right to the "Well, I used to think people were wrong when they said you were a name-dropping prick." I called you no such thing, and I didn't call you personally anything. My comment was always about your "joke." And you'll notice... you weren't kicked. You weren't banned. Nothing. All I did was tell you how offensive I found it.

<p> Nothing was funnier than LiberalWarrior saying that the gloves are off, and then spewing obscenities as if they were the equivalent of a bare knuckled punch.</p> Honestly people, it's behavior like this (on both sides) that makes up 99% of the reasons this site can suck.

im the only person that i know that thinks serena williams is hot - hot as in "everytime i see her i cant help thinking of mounting her" - my friends think im nuts - but she is hot - she wouldnt make a good she-hulk though - i see her in some period sword and sandal flick or fantasy flick (conan?) playing a female warrior - a nubian warrior queen - she is built like a Frazetta girl

excellent retort - if you were asked, would you take a tv gig? - you should man - movie reviews and analysis interspersed with round table discussions - think the McLaughlin group, but for geeks - im serious - and if you look anything like your cartoon avatar, how could it not be a huge hit

"In the new movies, the Super Soldier serum comes from the Incredible Hulk"
No it doesn't it came from a WWII experiment, Steve Rodgers!
Smith is too old, as is Eckhart, Rodgers should be between 20 and 30!